A Kind Of Magic
by Blackberry Ink
Summary: Lily’s been able to reject James for years, but will she be able if he leans to deflate his head? Is James up to the challenge? LJ
1. Chapter One

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Disclaimer: Plot is mine, title is Queen's. Everything else is JKR's. Don't sue, that'd just be stupid.  
  
A/N: I know I shouldn't be starting another story, but I'm blocked on Call it a Gift. So, er, another L/J fic. I'm excited for this one. I'm hoping it'll be a sight better than my little Christmas fluffy thing and a lot better than So Far Away, which I still need to get around to editing.... Enjoy.  
  
Summary: Lily's been able to reject James for years, but will she be able if he leans to deflate his head? Is James up to the challenge? L/J Chapter One: In which James has a one track mind, Lily is irritated, and Sirius is not always nice.

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Open up your mind and let me step inside

Rest your weary head and let your heart decide

It's so easy when you know the rules

It's so easy all you have to do

Is fall in love

Play the game

Everybody play the game of love

Play the Game, _Queen_

__

_

* * *

_

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She hated beginnings. They were the hardest. Once she'd get to the middle, things became easier, like a habit. She thrived on routine. She flourished where there were patterns, similarities, and concrete information. She was never one for change. There was always that variable, that chance that she would be hurt, and that was what terrified her. And it condemned her as well, leaving a wall between her and her housemates, keeping her separate from the rest of the world.

She dressed quietly as the rest of the girls in her dorm chattered in front of the mirror. She was an early riser, so she had been up at least an hour before they had and had already had time to do most of the preparation for the day. She reached into her trunk and pulled out the books she'd need for the morning and shoved them into her bag.

"Hey, Lily, hand me my hair tie? It's right on the dresser next to you."

"Sure," she said, picking it up and walking across the room to hand it to Madeline.

"Thanks," Madeline said, taking it and pulling back her short brown hair. "Are you going down to breakfast?"

"Yeah," Lily said, slinging her bag over her shoulder and meeting Madeline's eyes in the mirror as Madeline put cream on her abundant pimples.

"Walk with me?" she asked. "I don't feel like waiting for Jade. The girl hasn't even finished showering and I'm starved. I'll just be a second."

"Okay," Lily said, leaning against the wall in a more comfortable pose as she waited for Madeline.

Madeline smiled broadly at Lily as she finished, gesturing towards the door and following Lily out.

"Don't you need your books?" Lily wondered at noticing Madeline didn't bring anything with her.

"Don't have any classes until afternoon," she said. "I'm not taking nearly as many N.E.W.T. level courses as you are, and all my regular classes are in afternoons."

"That must be nice," Lily said conversationally. She knew Madeline well enough from over five years of sharing a dorm room with her, but she'd never gotten very close to her. She'd always seemed a bit too bubbly for Lily's interests.

Madeline shrugged. "It's alright. It'd be nice to have them in the morning, though. Get them over with."

Lily murmured in assent but not with much interest. She wasn't one for small talk.

They were silent during the remaining stretch of the walk and they entered the Great Hall to find it about half full. It was already the third week of school, but the decorations for the start-of-term feast were still up. Madeline bid Lily a quick goodbye and went to sit with some Hufflepuff friends while Lily took a seat at the end of the table near the older Gryffindor prefects, who greeted her amicably.

"How about those new first years?" Owen, seventh year prefect, asked.

"Was it Timothy acting up again?" Lily asked.

Owen nodded and rolled his eyes. "That little kid is the devil, I swear. Should have been in Slytherin. He loses enough points for us you'd think he wants them to win."

"Lily earns them all back for us, anyway," Hannah, the other seventh year prefect, said, grinning at Lily, who blushed but was pleased nonetheless.

"Only for Potter and his cronies to lose them again," she said modestly.

Owen sighed. "I've given up on trying to keep _them_ in line."

"Same here," Hannah said. "It's better to have them and their pranks, anyway. To keep things happy."

The two of them looked to Lily, who chose to abstain from commenting. They, along with the majority of Gryffindor, knew of her loathing off All Things Concerning James Potter And His Big Head. There was no point in embellishing it further. Everyone heard enough of it.

The Hall went slightly quieter as a rustle was heard and a swarm of owls flew in. Three tawny owls dropped identical packages in Lily's, Owen's, and Hannah's laps. Lily pulled two knuts out of her robe pocket and put them in a maroon-coloured bag the owl was holding and watched it as it flew off. Her housemates followed suit, and Lily turned her attention to the new copy of _The Daily Prophet_ they'd all just received.

"Take a look at this," Owen said, showing the two girls an article on the second page. "Two more disappearances. 'Could be related to Dark Wizards.' Could be? As if it would be anything else, these days."

"It says they were taken," Hannah put in.

Lily scanned the article. "Do you think they were really taken?"

"What do you mean, really taken? What else could have happened?"

"I mean, they could have gone voluntarily," she said, noting the dark look Owen cast. "How can anyone be certain?"

"Does it give names?" Hannah asked.

They all looked to their papers. "Yes," Lily said. "Lucas Mulciber and Catriona McCormack."

Hannah looked shocked. "Catriona McCormack? Are you serious?"

Lily double checked, and nodded. "Why? Heard of her?"

"Heard of her? I practically _worship_ the woman. She's one of the best Beaters the league has ever seen! Are you suggesting she'd leave voluntarily to join Dark Wizards?" her eyes narrowed dangerously, as if Lily had insulted a close friend. Hannah was a beater for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and apparently McCormack was a favorite player of hers.

"I'm just saying it could be possible," she said.

"I don't know...," Hannah said.

Owen shook his head. "I have to agree with Lily, here. You can't trust anyone you don't know."

Hannah seemed to seriously doubt this, as though she did know McCormack well enough to tell that he wouldn't become a Dark Wizard.

"At the risk of sounding extremely paranoid," Lily said. "Owen really is right. You can't trust anyone you don't know."

"Especially as we're leaving after this year," Owen said to Hannah.

Hannah shook her head. "You're overestimating all this," she said. "The newspaper is as well. This will all blow over. Remember the scare years ago that Dark Wizards were coming to take over? Nothing happened. This'll be the same."

"How can you be sure?" Owen said. "I mean, look at Grindelwald in the '40's. No one thought he would amount to anything."

"Dumbledore defeated him," Hannah pointed out.

"Yeah," Owen said. "But not until there'd been over a hundred deaths."

"You're being unreasonable."

"Am I?" Owen said. They looked hard at each other across the table, and Lily sensed she should leave.

"I've got to go to Potions," she said, standing and picking up her bag. "I'll talk to you two later."

"See you," they muttered distractedly, their conversation quickly becoming a heated argument.

Lily walked to her class just as distractedly, thinking about what Owen had said. i '_You can't trust anyone you don't know_.' /i She'd agreed to it then, but was it really true? She hated the thought that the people she'd grown up with – albeit not been very close to – could potentially turn down a dark path. As she entered the classroom, she shook such thoughts from her mind. She had another year after this to worry about it. Perhaps Hannah was right and it would all blow over by then.

The classroom was nearly empty and Lily took her normal seat in one of the front most tables. She hoped that no one would come to sit with her, but someone almost always did. Usually to copy off her work. N.E.W.T. Potions was an extremely difficult class that Lily found trouble excelling in. Still, she had a reputation for being brainy that kept other student's wanting answers from her.

She looked up to see Remus, Black, and Potter enter the classroom just as the bell rang. It was still strange to see them alone and without Peter following the three of them around as though he worshipped the ground they walked on, but Peter had not managed to be accepted into the class. There was one table open in the back and Remus, who had walked in first, took the spot. Potter went to sit down but Black let out a pathetic sort of whimper and Potter let him have the seat. He looked around for another open, and walked, poker-faced, to the only open seat in the room – the one next to Lily.

i _How clich_ /i , she thought, moving over as much as possible away from the bane that was called James Potter. He glanced at her when he thought she wasn't looking, tousled his already messy hair, and tilted his stool back so that he lounged on it in a way that the girls sitting in the seat behind him found very attractive but Lily only found exasperating.

"Please copy," Professor Montague said, pulling out his wand and tapping the blackboard with it; words appeared in miniscule handwriting and covered the entire board. Lily groaned inwardly as she dipped her quill in ink and brought it to her parchment. As she wrote, she could feel eyes on her. She looked up to see James watching her, unabashed that she'd noticed.

"Aren't you going to take the notes?" she muttered, casting a quick look in Montague's direction so as to make sure the man wasn't paying attention to them.

"Go out with me, Evans," he said, leaning back even more and folding his hands behind his head. The girl behind him looked like she was about to faint.

Lily ignored the question and impatiently said, "If you're not going to copy, at least do me a favor and stop staring at me. It's irritating."

"I'm sorry," he said without meaning it.

A lock of his unruly hair rested on the table behind them and the girl sitting behind looked short of breath. Her friend whispered something to her, and the girl nodded and looked nervously at Potter. Then she ripped off a corner of her parchment and hastily scribbled something on it. She hesitated a moment before tapping Potter on the shoulder. He turned and took it from her, but not before giving her a winning smile that seemed to make her think he'd remember her in an hour.

He turned back to the table and unfolded the parchment. Lily didn't bother to read what it said, concentrating on her notes, but he read the note quietly aloud.

"Go to Hogsmeade with you this weekend?" he wondered after reading. He made a show of rubbing his chin. Lily kept her eyes on the board and on her notes, trying not to pay attention to him but finding it near impossible. He looked sideways at Lily, who determinedly did not look back at him.

He turned around to face the girl behind him and whispered in a voice that was somehow very audible to Lily, "Terribly sorry, but I'm going to have to decline." Then he looked over at her, as if to see if she was impressed that he'd turned down another date.

"So, Evans," he said. "Go out with me?"

"Awfully one-tracked mind, haven't you?" she said. She didn't respond as he inched closer to her.

"Come on, Lily," he said. "We'll have fun. I'm prefect, captain of the Quidditch team, handsome as hell. You can't go wrong."

"Eat dung, Potter," she said frankly.

"Ouch," he replied, putting a hand to his heart. "Evans, you wound me."

She rolled her eyes and ignored him, again giving her attention to the class work. He sat upright and moved his stool closer to her, but she put up her hand to push him further back until finally –

"Potter, Evans," Montague said briskly. "See me after class."

Lily felt the color in her cheeks rising and hated Potter even more for being so nonchalant. She watched as he turned to the back of the classroom to give Black the thumbs up. Remus shook his head at the two of them, but had a small smile on his face. Montague looked murderously at Potter.

"Out," he said, pointing to the door. James put up his hands in a gesture that clearly said 'What did I do?' and allowed himself to be led out of the dungeons.

"Oi!" he shouted back into the classroom as he reached the door. "Evans! Grab my bag for me, will you? You can drop in off in the common room after class, I'll be there."

Lily didn't even turn to glare at him. She was silent for the rest of class, choosing to silently spend the next quarter of an hour with her notes, then the remaining part of the hour with the setup for the potion they would be brewing in tomorrow's class. When the bell rang, she put her things away and looked up to see someone standing in front of her.

"I'll get them for you." It was Remus, and he was picking up James' bag and putting it on his shoulder. He offered a small grin. "I know you don't want to do anything that could be, in any way, considered remotely kind towards James."

Lily smiled back in thanks.

"I know how he can be," Remus continued. "But cut him some slack. He hasn't yet learned just how large his head is."

Lily's expression was rueful. "I'm surprised it doesn't weigh his broom down when he flies."

Remus laughed lightly. "Montague's glaring daggers at you. You should go to him for your sentence."

"Oh, right," Lily said. "I swear, I'm going to hex Potter into next week for getting me a detention."

"I'll give him the heads up," Remus said. He turned to go. "I'll see you around, Lily."

She watched him for a moment as he left, and hoped he would.

* * *

The next day, Lily finished her morning classes and headed back to the Gryffindor dorms to find the older students crowded around the bulletin board. She hadn't remembered seeing anything new posted there, and went to go have a look. The crowd in front of it didn't part, however, and Lily had little means of using force to push her way through. She cleared her throat, but that didn't work either.

"What does it say?" she finally asked, nudging the boy next to her.

"Apparation lessons begin next week," he said. His face was round with excitement. "Should be fun."

Lily nodded. She'd been looking forward to learning to Apparate as well. She wanted to ask the boy when the lessons would begin, but he'd already left. The crowd was starting to thin now, so, with a few muttered 'excuse me's she pushed her way to the bulletin.

"Hello, Lily," came a deep voice from beside her. She turned to see Sirius Black's shaggy mane of hair and cocky grin. He reminded her so much of Potter.

"Black," she said in greeting. She was always curt with him because she disliked Potter. Black was friends with Potter, so she supposed she was supposed to dislike Black as well by default. Of course, going by those rules meant that she should be short with Remus as well, something she didn't fancy doing any time in the near future. She supposed these rules had certain loopholes. She'd have to look it up.

"Looking forward to learning to Apparate?" he asked conversationally.

"Isn't everyone?"

He shrugged. "Shouldn't be too hard."

Lily raised her eyebrows. "The ability to Apparate is one of the most advanced-"

"Yeah, but once you get it, it's easy," he said.

"I suppose," she responded, suddenly realizing that this was one of the longest civilized conversations she'd had with Black. Would loopholes have to be created for i _all_ /i friends of the enemy now? No – she wouldn't let it come to that. Only the intellectually striking ones should be allowed the time of day.

Black seemed to have noticed the same thing, and was looking amused at Lily's sudden discomfort.

"So," he said, leaning his hand against the wall and effectively blocking her from moving out of a small propinquity.

Lily tried not to be callous. "Excuse me," she said.

Black raised his eyebrows. "Only if you go out with James."

She crossed her arms, green eyes narrowed. "Don't tell me he's got you on the job as well."

He shrugged again. "He doesn't. But he talks about ways to ask you out all the time and it's damn annoying."

" i _You_ /i think it's annoying? Try being on the receiving end!"

"Understandable. But just give him a-"

"Honestly," Lily said. "Don't you have something better to do?"

"Listen, Evans," Black said. "I'm not a big fan of yours, and I think it's safe to say that the feeling is mutual." Lily nodded. "But if you'd just-"

"No," she interrupted. "I won't 'just'."

"I didn't even-"

"Come on, Black. Neither one of us wants to be having this conversation right now. I think both of us would be a lot happier if we just pretended the other didn't exist."

"I try to put up with you for James' sake. But you're so damn... i _domineering_ /i . And, you know, pompous."

" i _I'm_ /i pompous? What about you and Potter?"

Sirius now leaned his shoulder against the wall, blocking her way out further. "We have reason. We're just naturally good at everything we do."

Lily rolled her eyes. "You both make me sick. It's enough for the school to have one arrogant bastard, but two is too much."

"The rest of the school doesn't seem to think so."

Lily tried her best to make herself seem as large as possible, but she was short for her age and quite petite. "Well i _I_ /i do. And I'm the one you're harassing."

"Hey, I'm not the one doing the harassing." He jerked his head in James' general direction across the common room. "It's him."

"Well, you can tell him to quit it. I'm bloody tired of it."

"He only wants one date."

"One date?" She laughed without humor. "Black, I know what you two expect from your dates. I'm not going to...to...do any of that."

"Don't think too much of yourself, Evans," he said. "My point is, just go out with him once. Then I'll get him to piss off. It's a win-win situation."

"No," she said. "He's arrogant, he's irritating, he's a bloody i _stalker_ /i . I'm not going out with him."

Black shrugged. "Well, I can always tune him out. You, on the other hand, will have a much harder time of that." He moved away from the wall to let her pass. "Your loss."

"Right," Lily said, brushing past him and making a beeline to her favorite seat in the common room. She flicked her eyes towards Potter, who was now looking slightly dejected and listening as Black related their recent conversation to him, no doubt. She rolled her eyes again and dipped her quill in ink to begin that nasty Potions essay they'd just been assigned.

* * *

"Hey, Lily!" Hannah called from down the corridor. "Wait up!"

Lily stopped and turned to see Hannah hurrying up to her. "Hi, Hannah."

"Hi," Hannah said. "McGonagall wanted be to tell you – meeting changed to this Wednesday at seven."

Lily nodded. "Okay. I'll be there."

"And will you tell James for me?"

"Can't you do it?" she replied, then got slightly angry at herself for sounding so whingy. Hannah might be busy. Potter was bound to talk to her anyway; it wouldn't be hard to let him know the meeting had been changed before telling him off. "Never mind. I'll tell him at dinner."

"Thanks," Hannah said. "I'd walk with you, but I told Owen I'd meet him in--" She checked her watch and made a face. "Now. So I'd better go. I'll see you later."

"Yeah," Lily said, waving lackadaisically to Hannah's turned back. She continued down the corridor towards the Great Hall where dinner had just started and sat down.

She had helped herself to some mashed potatoes and lifted her goblet to pour more pumpkin juice in it when she dropped the cup. She bent to pick it up, but it was already floating back up and righted itself on the table in front of her. She looked up, preparing to mutter thanks to whoever had spelled it there, when she locked eyes with James Potter.

"Hello, Evans," he murmured, his mouth altogether way to close to her ear.

"Go away," she returned, bringing her eyes away from his to turn them to the table.

"What kind of a greeting is that?" he asked, pouting. "I haven't done anything to you."

"Yet," she finished.

"What makes you think I'll-"

"Because you always i _do_ /i . Now, please, leave me alone."

"Only if you'll go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend."

This time, she turned to face him, found this made him too close for comfort, and slid back on the bench to a move comfortable position.

"For Merlin's sake, Potter, do you think of anything else?"

"Not at the moment, no," he said, quite amicably.

"Well, you should," she replied, slightly flustered and for lack of anything better to say.

"So is that a yes, then?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "Go away!"

He shrugged. "Fine."

As he got up to leave, she remembered. "Wait," she said.

"Changed your mind?"

She ignored his comment. "Meeting was changed. It's not Thursday, it's tomorrow. At seven."

"I can't come."

"Why not? Have to turn all the Slytherin's underwear pink?"

"Quidditch practice," he said. "First of the year. I can't miss it. I'm captain this year, you know."

Lily feigned surprise. "Captain? Oh, you should have told someone earlier."

"Well, it's quite an accomplishment," he said at full height and girth.

"I'm sure," Lily said. "And, if I'm not mistaken, it gives you the power to change the practice times? Perhaps you should use that authority."

"Every other day this week is booked."

"Then have someone else run practice," she suggested. "Black is on the team."

"Sirius could run it," he admitted. "But it's my first practice as captain, Evans, and-"

She put up a hand to halt him. "This is a pointless conversation. Just be at the meeting tomorrow. If McGonagall had to make it sooner, it's probably something important."

"If it's that important she would have made it today."

"Maybe not."

He shrugged. "Tell McGonagall I won't be there."

"I'm not going to deliver messages for you, Potter."

"Tell her at the meeting."

"No," Lily said. "Tell her yourself."

"Fine," he said. "I will."

"Okay."

He waited a moment before asking, "Go out with me?"

"No, for Merlin's sake."

He sighed and sat down again next to her. He sat backwards on the bench so that he was facing out, making it easier for him to look at her.

"What is it with you?" he wondered. "What do I have to do?"

"Deflate your head," she said candidly. "Stop being so damned conceited and become a decent person with good intentions."

"Then you'll go out with me?"

She gave him a look of defeat. "Sure. If you do all that to my liking, sure, I'll go out with you."

He gave her a cocky grin that told her he thought this would be easy and held out his hand to shake on it. She stared at it as thought he were holding out a dead fish. He grabbed her hand and put it in his, shaking it exuberantly.

"It's a deal, Evans."

"Right."

* * *

He left, and she chuckled a little to herself. The chances of James Potter deflating his head were about the same as the chances of her ever liking him.

A/N: I'm definitely going to continue this, but my next update will most likely be on Call it a Gift. Unless, that is, you really want this one updated. Let me know. ;)


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Plot is mine, title is Queen's. Everything else is JKR's. Don't sue, that'd just be stupid.

A/N: You reviewers rule. Call it a Gift update is definitely next. Maybe.

Summary: Lily's been able to reject James for years, but will she be able if he leans to deflate his head? Is James up to the challenge? L/J Chapter Two: in which James is persistent, Remus is charming, trips to Hogsmeade are taken, we find out Lily is Not A Morning Person, and, yes, James' head his still pretty much the same size.

* * *

A Kind Of Magic

By Blackberry Ink

Chapter Two

* * *

The noise she woke up to the next morning was considerably different from the one she was used to. Normally, she'd here the subtle chirping of the birds and occasional rustle of the trees.

Today, she woke to James Potter banging on her window. At four thirty in the morning.

She was not pleased.

"Potter!" she yelled, deciding that the rest of the girls would be up anyway from his incessant pounding. "What the _hell_ are you doing?"

"Umm," he said astutely.

"You'd better have a bloody good reason for waking me up at this hour!"

"It's already past four," he reasoned. "Aren't you always up early?"

"No!" she near-screamed. "I need my bloody sleep! This hour is ungodly!"

"Well, _I_ certainly thought so," he said. She noticed dark circles under his eyes. Somehow, his hair was still the picture of tousled perfection. She hated that. "But I thought you always got up early, so I thought I'd get up with you and we could, you know, take a walk."

Lily glared at him.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time."

She let out a noise of frustration, stomped over to the window, and shut the curtains.

Madeline was awake, along with the only other Gryffindor girl in this year.

"What was that?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. "You closed the curtains before I could look."

"Potter," she spat. "Waking me up to go for a _walk_, the sod."

"A walk?" Madeline repeated as Lily nodded. "You two alone, walking around the lake as the sun rises. That's awfully romantic."

"It's disgusting, is what it is," Lily said. "A walk? At this hour? With him?"

"I'd have gone," Madeline said.

"You're an idiot," a dark-skinned girl said to Lily, tossing braided hair over her shoulder. "It's _James Potter_. He's _gorgeous_."

"I don't go for looks," Lily said stiffly. "The guy's got to have a nice personality. Somewhere Potter is lacking. And he's not even good-looking, anyway."

"No personality? Are you mental?"

"Probably," Madeline said. "To have _him_ chasing after her and not-"

"Please," Lily said. "Stop. I don't like him. I cede the field to you. End of story."

The dark-skinned girl shrugged. "Whatever you say, Lily. I just think you should take the chance while you have it."

"I don't want it."

"Okay, then," she said. "Your loss."

There was another loud bang at the window. Lily shot a look of annoyance towards the window as the door flew open.

"What is that?" It was Hannah, still in her nightclothes. "What are you girls doing? I can hear you all the way in my room."

Madeline jerked her head towards the window and Hannah went towards the sound before Lily could stop her. She opened the curtains to find James Potter, hovering on his broom and smiling broadly.

Hannah sighed, but smiled too. "Get downstairs, James. You're waking everyone up."

"Only if Lily comes with me," he said with puppy-dog eyes that Hannah, apparently, could not resist.

"Lily, go to the common room with James, will you? Before he wakes up the whole house?"

She shot him a cold look before throwing a pair of robes on over her nightclothes and going down the stairs. When she reached the common room, he was already there, climbing in the window and setting his broom against the wall.

"Morning, Lily," he said briskly, sounding much more awake than he looked.

"What was that all about?"

"I'm trying to shrink my head."

"That has absolutely nothing to do with you shrinking your head," she said. "That's being just as arrogant."

He made a pained expression. "Is it?"

"Yes, it is. Only someone as arrogant as you would wake up early to fly up to my window, showing off both their new broom and flying talent, as well as ability to use a hair-care spell."

"I didn't use a hair-care spell!" he insisted. "My hair is completely natural!"

"Right," she said. "Either way, you make me sick. I'm going back upstairs to get another hour of sleep. I'll see you in class."

He grabbed her arm as she reached the first step of the landing. "What about that walk?" he said, his eyes searching. "I woke up early for you, you know. I'm a late sleeper."

"I'm terribly sorry you had to lose precious beauty sleep to go out of your way to show off in front of all the girls in my dorm. I feel for you, really I do."

"One walk," he said. "Around the lake and back for the start of breakfast." He held out his arm for her to slide hers through.

"No," she avowed, expressionless, as she finished walking up the stairs. She heard him collapse into a chair as she went up.

* * *

"Because of the growing fear of Dark Wizards outside Hogwarts," Gideon Prewett of Hufflepuff was saying at the prefect's meeting that evening. "I would like to put forth the suggestion that the curfew time be changed from eleven to ten. This may seem like only a small change, but-"

"Sorry I'm late," Potter said, bursting in with his broom in hand and adorning dirty Quidditch gear. "Practice. I left early."

Gideon heaved a sigh. "Have a seat. I know this is your first year as prefect but at least _try_ to come on time from now on, yeah?"

"Sure thing," he said as he sat down in his assigned seat beside Lily. "Won't happen again."

"Right," Gideon said. "As I was saying – this may seem like a small change, but-"

"Sorry," Potter interrupted. "But what may seem like a small change?"

Gideon, slightly agitated, filled him in. "As Head Boy, I'd like to change curfew time from eleven to ten."

"Right, thanks," Potter said, smiling. When Gideon continued, Potter discreetly leaned closer to Lily and whispered, "Why the blazes would he want to make curfew earlier?"

"Why do you care?" Lily whispered tersely back. "It's not as though you're going to be in the tower at curfew no matter what time it is."

He grinned. "True. But still, why?"

"Perhaps if you'd have been here on time you would have known."

"I told you, Quidditch practice. I couldn't-"

"Shut up," Lily said. "I'm trying to listen."

For once, he obeyed. He leaned back in his seat, artfully running a hand through his hair and glancing at her from time to time as he listened.

"...wondering if any of you have an opinion on the matter," Gideon concluded. He looked around the table. Potter raised his hand.

"I don't see how moving curfew back an hour is going to protect us in any way."

"I plan to begin with pushing it an hour earlier for now, then perhaps in the future making it even earlier. It's not safe for students to be allowed to have free reign over the school at those late hours, especially on the grounds."

"Then why not just make the grounds off limits after dark?" Lily suggested.

Potter stepped on her foot beneath the table and she emitted a small yelp. Gideon looked questioningly at her and she faked a smile to cover it. Potter shot her an urgent glance as another student spoke, and shook his head, mouthing the word "no".

The student finished speaking and Gideon nodded in assent. "And I third the idea. The main issue is safety on the grounds, since it is mainly through the Forbidden Forest that safety could be a problem. Who else agrees?"

All hands went up except Potter's.

"I want a unanimous agreement before I take the issue to Dumbledore," Gideon said, looking in particular at Potter.

"I'll agree to the hour earlier curfew thing," Potter said. "But not to the grounds being off limits after dark."

"Anything anyone can do to try to persuade you?"

"No," he said firmly.

Gideon nodded, settling for that. "Then all who agree with making the new curfew ten o'clock raise your hands."

Every hand went up this time.

"Good," Gideon said. "I'll take the concern to Dumbledore." He paused and shuffled some papers. "Everyone knows their jobs at this Hogsmeade weekend, yes? We've got sixth years on early patrol duty – seven o'clock until noon. Fifth years follow, from noon until five, and seventh years will patrol from then until ten o'clock. Nothing formal, just keep an eye out for trouble and the troublemakers while you're doing your business. You've all got that? Yes? Does anyone have anything else to add? No? Okay, then. Meeting adjourned. I'll see everyone next week, normal time."

Potter sat up immediately and got up from his chair. He got to the door before Lily and held it open for her, then accidentally let it close on the hand of a Hufflepuff fifth year prefect. Lily rolled her eyes and didn't wait for Potter to catch up to her. Still, moments later, he jogged slightly to pick up pace beside her.

"You made me leave Quidditch practice for _that_?" he commented.

"It's a meeting. It's important."

"You call that waste of a half hour important? They could have voted for the curfew thing without me."

"And then the grounds would have been off limits after dark."

"Just how you wanted it, right?"

"It would be safer that way," she said. "Gideon was right, you know. It would have been safer to have students not allowed out of the building at night. You never know what-"

"Nothing like that's going to come to Hogwarts," Potter said. "They're not that stupid to do something like that right under Dumbledore's nose."

"How do you know?"

"I'm top of the class. I know everything."

"Right," Lily scoffed.

They reached the portrait hole and Lily muttered the password.

"Are you going up to the dorms?" Potter asked.

"Why do you care?'

He shrugged. "Just wondering. If you stayed down here for a little while maybe we could-"

"Well I'm going up," Lily said, pleased at the disappointed look on Potter's face.

"Good night then," he said, scuffing his foot slightly on the ground.

She left without a response.

* * *

Lily tapped her quill impatiently on the desk and Professor Binns droned. She had no idea why she'd elected not to drop History of Magic – it was even more boring than last year. The only other Gryffindors in the class were Remus and some girl who was known to pick her nose behind books and pretend she hadn't done anything. She usually kept to herself during this class.

"You haven't fallen asleep yet?" someone said quietly, sitting down in the seat next to hers. She turned to see Remus setting down his books and glancing quickly at Binns, who had been talking in monotone for at least fifteen minutes, to see if the ghost had noticed him come in late. Binns didn't look up from his notes.

"Why were you so late?" Lily wondered aloud.

Remus raised his eyebrows. "Why do you want to know?"

"As prefect, I feel obligated to ask." She wanted to eat her words a moment after she'd said them – Remus had been prefect with her last year and Potter had, for some reason, taken his place this year. She hoped he wasn't bitter about it.

"I've been hanging around James and Sirius too long," he said, apparently not noticing Lily's worry at mentioning his former position. "They rub off on me."

"Can't be rubbing off too much," Lily said. "You're not nearly as irritating as they are."

Remus laughed slightly, making her smile. "Thanks, I suppose," he said.

"Don't mention it."

He reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a small candy box, from which he extracted two Sugar Quills. "Want one?"

"Sure," Lily said, their fingers touching as she took one from his hand. "Thanks." She saw the palm of his hand for a moment before he turned it over. Spotting a red mark on it, she impulsively reached out and grabbed his hand. Reaching from one end to the other was a large, angry welt. She gasped. He pulled back his hand quickly.

"Where did you get that?"

"Oh, Herbology," he said nonchalantly. "It's nothing."

"Did you go to Madame Pomfrey?"

He looked uncomfortable about the topic. "No need. James-"

"You should," she interjected. "It looks like it-"

"Really," he said, eyes offering reassurance. "It's nothing."

She wasn't sure if she believed this, but figured she had to trust that it was nothing. They weren't very close; he didn't have to tell her. She nodded. "Fine, then." She traded the owl feather quill she'd been holding for the sugar one.

When the bell rang to signify class as over, Remus helped Lily with her books.

"See you later, Lily," he said.

She couldn't help but notice that his smile wasn't as sincere as it had been last time. Still, she smiled warmly. "'Bye."

They were jostled out of the classroom by the other students, and Lily didn't get a chance to speak with him for the rest of the day. She looked over her shoulder to see Peter and Black greeting Remus and heading back to Gryffindor Tower. Lily intended to go right to the Great Hall for lunch. She turned back to walk towards the Hall when she ran straight into a pole.

"Er."

A pole that talked, perhaps?

She looked up – it was Potter.

"Morning," he said. "Can I take your books?"

"Taking a leaf out of Remus's book, are you?" she wondered.

"Remus?" he repeated. "He's carried your books before?"

She shook her head quickly. He truly hadn't. She wasn't sure why she'd thought of it. Perhaps because of Remus's obsession with literature? Still, she wondered why she felt so keen to keep anything (which was practically nothing, anyway) between her and Remus away from Potter.

"Well, can I?"

"No, I think I can manage on my own, thanks."

"I never doubted your strength," he said defensively.

"Did I say you did?"

"You implied it."

"I most certainly didn't."

"You-"

"This is a stupid conversation," Lily intervened. "I'm going to lunch."

"You _always_ say that." He began to walk the way she was going. "I'm starved. I'll come with you," he said, as if he were doing her a favor by allowing her to be in his presence longer.

"All of your friends went back up to the Tower. Why don't you go join them?"

"You're trying to get away from me, aren't you?"

"Merlin," she said, stopping and looking at him in wonderment. "You _think_?"

He rolled his eyes, but looked torn between joining her or going to see his friends. She took advantage of his indecision by hurrying ahead of him towards where she saw Hannah sitting.

"Hey, Lily," Hannah said as Lily sat opposite her.

"Hi," Lily said. "Is Owen not-"

"Hello, ladies," Potter said, smiling broadly the both of them as he sat beside Lily. "You don't mind if I join you, do you?"

"I'd rather you-"

"I knew you wouldn't mind," Potter said, pouring himself some pumpkin juice. Lily raised her eyebrows towards him and Hannah shrugged.

"So, Hannah," Potter said. "I don't talk to you often. How is your day?"

Hannah looked torn between laughing and being touched. "Good," she answered. "How is yours?"

"It was going okay, but now that I get to eat lunch in the presence of you fine ladies it has taken a turn for the better."

Lily took a large bite of mashed potatoes and did not look at him.

"And how is your day, Lily?"

"Oh, please, Potter," Lily said. "Like you care."

Potter looked like he'd fallen out of stride. "I thought you-"

"If this is supposed to impress me by showing charm and charisma," she said. "You've failed miserably."

His shoulders sank slightly but he remained resilient. "Is there anything you'd-"

"Having sincerity," she said. "Is a major part of head deflation."

Potter spluttered and the pasted-on grin slipped away. "I was only trying to-"

"Stop being so glib, Potter," she said. "Now go eat with your friends."

"I want to stay with you," he said.

She laughed humorlessly. "Nice try," she said. She gestured towards the other end of the table. "It looks like dear Sirius is beckoning you. Why don't you join him?"

Potter pouted, spent a second or two looking torn, but went to sit with his friends.

"Slick one, isn't he?" Hannah said.

"Only a bit."

"Rather annoying, at times."

Lily smiled at Hannah. "Finally someone agrees with me."

"Well, it's really only the sixth years and below that worship the bloke," she said, shrugging. "It mean, you can't deny he's handsome-"

"Hannah, I thought you were on my-"

"-but he's an arrogant prick most of the time."

"All of the time," Lily amended. "I wish he'd leave me-"

Hannah put up a hand. "Save it."

Lily smiled meekly. "Right. Sorry."

"He is really funny, though...oh look," Hannah said, waving at someone behind Lily. "It's Owen."

Lily turned to see him take the place Potter had occupied minutes ago. He put his books down on the bench beside him.

"You get that assignment from McGonagall?" he asked Hannah.

Hannah nodded. "Horrible. I'll never get it done in time."

"Tell me about it," Owen said. "I'm beginning to regret taking N.E.W.T. Transfiguration."

"I was just thinking the same thing," Lily said. "It's my weakest subject; I have no clue how I got into the class."

Owen shook his head. "You're only in your first year of the class. You haven't seen the worst of it."

Lily grimaced. "McGonagall's a good teacher, at any rate."

"I guess," Hannah said dryly. "I could do with a bit less work, though."

"That's why I like Flitwick," Lily said. "Not nearly the amount of homework the other N.E.W.T. classes have."

"But he makes up for that with those bloody projects," Owen said. "I missed all but one of the Hogsmeade weekends last year to do work for his class."

"Oh, they're not all that bad," Hannah said. "You're just a perfectionist."

Owen shrugged. "Did well, at least, in the end."

Lily took a final bite of her food and stood up. "I'm going to head off to the library for a bit before class. I didn't finish the homework yet for Vector, and I have that class next."

"See you," Hannah said, and Owen nodded his goodbye.

Lily walked alone to the library, meeting no one in the halls but Sir Nick, who smiled and said hello before gliding through the wall to the adjacent corridor. She pushed open the large wooden doors and took her usual seat in a blue armchair near the section on Mythology. She grabbed her Arithmacy book from her bag, a quill, and a half-filled parchment and began to write.

"Hello, Lily."

She jumped slightly, sat upright, back stiff, and locked eyes with Remus. She laughed a little before nodding towards the chair next to her for him to sit beside her.

"Sorry I startled you."

"Don't worry about it," she said. "What are you here for?"

"Just the quiet," he said. He took a gold hardcover out of his canvas bag. "Brought my book."

"What are you reading?"

"_The Lazy Tour Of Two Idle Wizards_," he read from the cover. "I'm not too far into it, but it's pretty good so far."

Lily nodded. "You don't mind if I work, do you? I know I'm horrible company, but I've got a lot to do."

"Go ahead."

Lily smiled at him and picked up her quill again. She paused a moment later and looked back at him.

"Do you happen to have any more of those-"

"Sugar Quills?" he finished for her,

"Yeah," she said. "I don't want to-"

"I've got a ton. James and Sirius nicked them for me. Here." He handed her the rest of the box.

"The whole thing?"

"If you want it. I've got at least a dozen of those, if you run out."

She smiled again and took one out of the box. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

* * *

Friday passed quickly, and Saturday dawned a bit too early for Lily's liking. She groaned as Madeline shook her shoulders gently to wake her.

"Lily," she whispered urgently. "Wake up. Hogsmeade time."

"Five more minutes," she groaned, throwing the pillow over her head.

Madeline pried it off. "Don't you want to get started on your Christmas shopping?"

"It's only September."

"But practically October. Get up, it's a brilliant day."

"What time _is_ it?"

"Nine o'clock. Everyone else is up and gone."

Lily sat bolt upright. "You're _kidding_ me. Please say you're kidding me."

Madeline looked confused. "No, why?"

"Shit, _shit_," Lily muttered, hopping out of bed and hastily pulling on a pair of gold weekend robes. "What was I...oh _shit_."

"What is it?"

"I was supposed to be on prefect duty at Hogsmeade two hours ago," she said. "Hopefully Gideon won't kill me...."

"Anything I can do?"

"Just...hand me that...yes, that, thanks," Lily said. She quickly brushed her hair and threw it back in a messy ponytail. "I've got to run down there. I'll talk to you later."

She left Gryffindor Tower at a sprint and continued her pace down the dirt path to Hogsmeade village. She reached the gate, when a stern looking man in gray robes halted her.

"Are you here as a Hogwarts student?" he asked.

She furrowed her brow as she replied. "Yes."

"And do you have any bags?"

She paused, taking stock of what she had. No bag. She reached into her pocket – only three knuts. So much for early Christmas shopping. "No, I don't."

"Please stand still." He raised his wand.

"Wait," Lily interrupted. "What's this about? Who are you?"

"The new security, just ordered today by the Minister. I'm with the Ministry." He held out a badge for her scrutiny.

"I wasn't aware Hogsmeade was a potential Dark Wizard target."

"Better safe than sorry," he said. "Now, please stand still."

She did as she was told this time and allowed him to cast the spell. "Just an Inspection Charm, right?"

"Right," he said. He brought his wand down and nodded. "Looks like you've passed." He waved his wand again and the gates opened. "Enjoy your day."

"Thank you," she said as she hurried past him. Okay. She was in. She could just pretend she'd been here the whole time and no one would –

"Late, are we?" She blanched and turned. Potter. Of course it would be Potter.

"Not late," she said quickly, aware of her guilty tone. "I just popped out for a moment."

He smirked. "Lying, now, on top of that? What has gotten into you, Miss Evans?"

"Stow it, Potter," Lily said, brushing past him. He caught her arm and she found their faces disturbingly close. She shook free of him and stepped back.

"Some example you're setting," he said. "For someone who tells off me for being two minutes late, you go and take the cake by showing up two _hours_ late-"

"You were more than two minutes late," she replied. "And for someone who wants to get a date with me, you're acting awfully annoying."

"I've just caught you oversleeping for an important prefect-type thing, Lily. Moments like these don't just happen every day. So stop raining on my parade."

"Leave me alone," she snapped. "Go glory at my baseness somewhere else."

He grabbed her arm again, gentler this time. "I'm sorry, Lily. I didn't mean to make you mad."

"Everything you _do_ makes me mad," she said. "Besides when you _go_ _away_."

"But don't make me do that," he implored. "I want to spend the day with you."

She shook her head. "I'd rather eat dirt."

"I'm going to be the perfect gentleman," he said. "I promise."

"Absolutely not," she said. "I don't believe you, anyway."

"My head's deflated," he said. He pointed to it. "Look: normal size. I want to go out with you, Lily, and I'll be perfect, I'll be amazing, I'll be whatever you want-"

"What I want," she said. "Is not you. It is, in fact..." She stumbled for a moment. "...something else that is not you. So piss off."

"No."

"Yes."

"I'll buy you a drink."

"I've got money."

"Not as much as I do. I'll-"

"There you go again, Potter. I know you're the bloody fucking richest boy in the school, you flaunt it enough, and _I don't care_."

"I'm not the _richest_ in the school. Certainly top ten, maybe even top five-"

"_I said piss off_!"

Perhaps her voice was more harsh than normal, because his confidence seemed to wilt.

"Let me guess," he said. "Go hang out with my friends?'

"You're too smart."

"Can I at least buy you a coffee later?"

"No."

"A butterbeer?"

"No."

"A cookie?"

"No."

"I'm not leaving until you say yes."

"Then we're going to be standing here arguing an awfully long time."

"I don't mind."

She groaned. "You wouldn't."

"Was that an insult?"

She shrugged.

"If it was, it was pretty crappy."

In spite of herself, she emitted a punctured giggle because of his frankness, and the fact that it may have been slightly true. He grinned broadly and she cursed herself.

"I knew you'd slip sometime," he said proudly.

"I wasn't laughing at you," she lied.

"It's still nice to see you smile," he said.

She shook her head. "Please go away, Potter."

"I was just going," he said. "But I'm buying you a drink before this day is over."

"Whatever you say, Potter. But it's time to sod off now. Thanks in advance."

"Anything for you, Lils."

"Don't call me that."

"Okay. Sorry."

"I thought you were leaving."

"I am. Leaving right now."

"Good."

"Wonderful."

"Fantastic."

"Completely and utterly-"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Potter, just go."

"Right. Going."

He gave a jaunty wave before shoving his hands in his pockets and walking off towards Zonko's. _What an idiot_.

"Lily, hey, over here!" a voice called. It was Madeline, toting along Jade. Lily waved and Lily waved back, reluctantly. She wasn't sure if she was up to spending the day with the pair of them, but Hannah and Owen weren't coming until noon and there was no one else, excluding Potter, who she could walk around with. She walked over to her dorm mates.

"Everything good with being late and all?" Madeline asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, it's fine."

Madeline grinned. "See? I knew it would be."

"I was lucky not to run into Gideon," Lily said.

"And lucky enough to run into James," Madeline teased.

"I wouldn't call that lucky."

Jade sniffed. "For someone who doesn't like James, you sure do spend a lot of time around him. Most girls would kill for that."

"Most girls are slutty attention whores," Lily replied shortly. Jade sniffed again.

"So," Madeline said, putting her hands together and stepping between the two of them. "Butterbeer, anyone? Actually, I guess it's too early for that. How about a run to the Shrieking Shack? It's supposed to be positively fearsome this time of year."

"I say we check out Dervish and Banges," Jade put in. "They're supposed to have gotten an entirely new supply of potions equipment I'd like to check out."

"Sounds good," Madeline said. "You coming, Lily?"

"Sure," she said, and allowed Madeline to take a hold of her sleeve to bring her up to pace with her and Jade. As they walked past Zonko's towards the supply shop, she was aware of eyes in the window watching her every move, but paid no attention. Potter would only follow her if he realized she knew he was looking.

They spent the next three hours shopping, or rather Madeline and Jade shopped while Lily kept a close eye on the Hogwarts students to make up for the time she'd missed.

"Now's a good time for lunch, don't you think?" Madeline suggested.

"And I'm finally off duty," Lily said.

"Want to head into Three Broomsticks, then, since it's right here?"

Lily glanced inside to spot Potter and his cronies surrounding a table and laughing at something Black had just said. She opened her mouth to propose they go to one of the smaller restaurants, but the two girls were already headed inside. Lily sighed and followed, hunching her shoulders slightly as she walked in, keeping Madeline and Jade in between her and the boys' table, hopefully blocking Potter's view of her. They sat at a table and Lily put her back to them.

"So, erm, round on me, then?" Madeline said, to remedy the silence.

"Oh, no, I'll get my own, thanks," Lily objected. Jade just shrugged.

"Suit yourself," Madeline said. She accepted the coins Lily gave her and went to get drinks for all of them.

"What are you playing at?" Jade asked sharply, the moment Madeline had gone.

Lily raised her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

"Hanging around with Madeline, all of a sudden. What are you playing at?"

Lily thought for a moment. Looking back, she supposed Jade and Madeline _had_ always hung around, being the only other Gryffindor girls. Should have thought of that right away.

"I'm not trying to take your friend or anything, if that's what you mean," Lily responded.

Jade made a noise that could only be described as a snort.

"I'm _not_," she persisted. "Look, what would you have me do? It's _Madeline_ who's bloody asking to hang around with _me_, not the other way around."

"You're not-"

"Make a space!" Madeline said hurriedly, barely clutching three tall drinks filled to the brim. "I'm going to-" One of the drinks slipped from her grasp just as she leaned over the table, spilling warmed butterbeer all over Lily's lap. "Oh, bugger." She reached for some napkins. "I'll just-"

Lily grabbed Madeline's arm before she could move any further. "Don't bother," Lily said. "I'll just go over to the lavatory and clean it up."

"I'm really sorry, Lily," Madeline said. "I'll go buy you a new one."

Lily shook her head. "Not necessary. Actually, I think I may go back up to the Tower, rest a bit, do some homework." Madeline looked truly upset. "Really, it's fine." Her voice came out a bit sharper than she'd hoped.

"Are you sure? I'm sorry. Now I've gone and ruined a perfectly wonderful day. All my-"

"Honestly, Madeline, she said she doesn't care," Jade said, just as snappish as Lily had previously been. "You do look really tired, Lily."

Lily looked quizzically at Jade in response to the sudden almost-kindness, but pushed it away because it got her where she wanted. "Yes, yes, I'm dead tired," she agreed. "So I'll talk to you both later."

"'Bye, then," Jade said quickly, her voice ushering Lily out the door.

She left before Madeline had another chance to object. She looked over at Potter's table. He had been looking at her again, she could tell, because the tops of his cheeks had gone pink and he was suddenly talking very fast to Black. Peter laughed uproariously at something he said as the other two chucked appreciatively. They all seemed wholly aware of her exact presence despite the fact that they looked steadfastly away from her.

Shrugging to herself, she left. Best he wasn't looking at her, anyway. She didn't feel like dealing with stalkers at the moment – all she wanted was to curl up in her jumper with a book in the good chair by the fire. She hurried back to the castle, hoping she wouldn't meet anyone to stop her along the way.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for taking forever with this chapter, but I made it longer (and hopefully the rest of the chapters will be like this); Call It A Gift has been taking up most of my fanfiction writing time recently and this one has been on the back burner. It's priority may be moving up, though, since I've recently become obsessed with The Shoebox Project (written by ladyjaida and dorkorfic, the absolute best MWPP fic I've ever read and you really need to read it.) and I'm back in Harry Potter fandom mode. (Not that I ever left it, but, I'm not even more obsessed than ever. Perhaps even at my peak of obsessiveness.) So we'll see. Sorry, I'm babbling. There are thank yous to be made!

For reviewing chapter one:

Loves to Read, BabyD, Twerksie Gogara Relffin, blackdragonofdeath13, MPPSexxySiriusJamesRemus, Katie115, Princess Pixie Ice, The Queen of the Pugs, Tindomiel-PA, Mayumi-8805, Dulcis Caelum, StarryEyes9.

tHeOnEaNdOnLyStEpHy: Of course I'll update this one (actually I just did, but beyond this chapter, I mean). And as for the Lily/Remus, well, you'll just have to read and see, won't you?

Nadine: Another Queen fan, yay. They're one of my favorite groups.

Armadrieclya: Just...wow! I probably don't deserve that kind of praise, but I thank you a million times for it nonetheless.

MaGicHappEnS: Ah, sorry for not updating before you left. I hate when fanfic writers do that to me and it seems I do it all the time. But you're back now, right? I'll try to be quicker next time.

Just re-read through the reviews, and it's so good to see some of the old faces (or usernames, more aptly) that I haven't seen from all my time in the Ella Enchanted fandom. It's good to be back again. :) They're making me want to go get started on the next chapter already.

Reference: _The Lazy Tour Of Two Idle Wizards_, the book Remus says he is reading, is a title that comes from Dickens's _The Lazy Tour Of Two Idle Apprentices_. I haven't actually read it, but wanted to wizardify the title for kicks.


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